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The Robber Bridegroom
The Robber Bridegroom is a musical based on the Eudora Welty novella of the same name. Cast *Kevin Kline - Jamie Lockhart *Anderson Matthews - Big Harp *Robert Bacigalupi - Goat *J. W. Harper - Little Harp *Patti LuPone - Rosamund *Mary Lou Rosato - Salome *David Schramm - Clemment Musgrove Plot In modern times, Jamie Lockhart and the other people involved tell of their ancestors, and the time dissolves to 18th-century Mississippi. Clemment Musgrove, the wealthiest planter on the Natchez Trace arrives in town only to have all of the townsfolk trying to steal his money. He finally makes it to a hotel, trying to escape the greedy townsfolk with a little rest. Little Harp, a largely unsuccessful robber, plots with his brother, Big Harp, who is only a head that he keeps in a briefcase, about how they can steal Musgrove's money, eventually devising a plan in which they kill him in his sleep. Robin Hood-like Jamie Lockhart, a legendary character in Mississippi folklore, rescues Musgrove from the Harp gang by tricking Little Harp into thinking that he killed them and their ghosts attack him. Grateful, Musgrove invites Jamie to his home for dinner and for the chance to meet and woo his greatest treasure, his daughter, Rosamund. Jamie reveals to the presumably curious audience why he did not steal Musgrove's money right there, claiming that he steals with more finesse then that of a lowly crook, covering his face with berry juice and calling himself The Bandit Of The Woods. Meanwhile, we meet Musgrove's bitter second wife, Salome, who is making food for her husband's return from his two-week trip. She calls for Rosemund, the bane of her existence, to get herbs from out in the Indigo field. Rosemund, meanwhile, is in her own little world, dreaming of a man who will love her and call her name. Rosemund eventually goes out to get the herbs and Musgrove returns home, bringing gifts for his wife such as a feather duster and sewing needles, while he brings for Rosemund a dress sewn with gold. Rosemund returns home without the herbs but rather with a story of a panther causing her to lose all of them. Despite Salome's wishes that Musgrove stops babying Rosemund, he forgives her instantly and gives her the dress. In her bitterness, Salome sings of how everyone prefers the lily bud to. Salome goes out into town where everyone hates her and hires a boy named Goat to follow Rosemund back into the indigo field and kill her, taking a scrap of her new dress as proof. Rosemund, donning her new dress, goes back to the woods to look for herbs, per Salome's request, and woes her empty, loveless life as Goat follows her. There, she meets The Bandit Of The Woods who requests that she completely undress and give him her dress. Rosemund does so willingly, asking if he wishes for anything else, but he leaves her there to return home naked. She does so and Musgrove is shocked but Salome is only upset that her plan was unsuccessful. Rosemund returns again to the woods later and follows The Bandit Of The Woods, intrigued by him. In preparations for Jamie Lockhart coming, Salome tells Rosemund to take care of the house, which she does willingly, hoping that she will look a mess by the end of it and Jamie won't be interested, leaving her to be with her Bandit Of The Woods. Finally, Jamie comes to the Musgrove estate and is greeted by Salome, dressed to the nines who immediately is entranced by his looks and pursues him sexually. Rosemund then tries to make herself out to be crazy to him and Musgrove tries to make the best of the situation and set up Jamie and Rosemund for marriage. Jamie agrees to think about it and give Musgrove his answer on Wednesday. Rosemund returns to the woods and goes to The Bandit's home —which Jamie encourages- finds her dress, puts it on, and fixes the place up. Jamie sings of how girls giving themselves to him takes all the fun out of it and how he prefers to steal it ("Love Stolen"). He knocks her out and the two of them end up in bed together. Jamie and Rosemund wake up together and she wishes to him that he would show her his face and that they could know each other's names, but he refuses, telling her that this is what he wishes love to be. He tells her that he is to be engaged to an heiress and that that is business, while this is pleasure. Meanwhile, Salome speaks again to Goat, clarifying that he needs to follow Rosemund—who Musgrove believes to be kidnapped and missing by The Bandit Of The Woods—and kill her in order to get his payment. After that Goat runs in to Little Harp, who is aching for a woman and offers Goat many things, including Big Harp, in order to give Rosemund to him rather than Salome. Salome stumbles upon Jamie's cabin and finds Rosemund. Rosemund reveals to her that The Bandit will abandon her if she tries to see him without the berries and Salome advises her to do it, hoping that that will be the end of them. Rosemund leaves to do that, leaving Salome alone in the cabin. Little Harp comes to the cabin and reveals that Jamie and The Bandit are one in the same. He mistakes Salome for Rosemund and kills her. Rosemund, now armed with a mixture to remove the berry juice, comes back and is assaulted by Little Harp. Jamie comes in and saves her, killing Little Harp. Unsettled by the murder Jamie rests at Rosemund's insistence and she goes to remove the berry juice. She realizes who she is and wakes him up, excited that they can be both married and in love. Jamie, however, is furious and refuses, stalking out and telling her it's over. Rosemund grapples with her hate and love for him, eventually deciding to go find him. As she leaves, Jamie runs back, saying that he's changed his mind, but it's too late and they can't find each other. Then Rosemund runs into Goat, who upon being asked, reveals that Jamie is a ghost who died 9 months ago. Rosemund says that's about right, revealing her very pregnant belly. However, she continues to look for him, being harassed by townsfolk all the while. She winds up going into labor and having twins, a boy and a girl. She soon finds Jamie and tells him that their kids are named Clementine and Jamie Jr. Jamie is surprised but happy and they get married. Just after, they find Rosemund's father, who hasn't seen her since she went missing and tells her of her stepmother's death and how happy he is for them. He gives Jamie a little money, though he is already wealthy, and no longer a crook. And everyone lives happily ever after. Musical numbers ;Act I *"Once Upon the Natchez Trace" - Jamie, Rosamund, Salome, Clemment, Goat, Little Harp, Big Harp, & Company *"Suddenly the Day Looks Sunny" - Jamie (recitation) *"Two Heads" - Little Harp, Big Harp, & Company *"(Steal) With Style" - Jamie & Company *"Rosamund's Dream" - Rosamund & Jamie *"The Pricklepear Bloom" - Salome & Company *"Nothin' Up" - Rosamund & Company *"Deeper in the Woods" - Company *"Riches" - Clemment, Jamie, Salome, & Rosamund *"Little Pieces of Sugar Cane" - Jamie (recitation) *"Love Stolen" - Jamie & Company ;Act II *"Poor Tied Up Darlin'" - Little Harp & Goat *"Mean As a Snake" - Raven (recitation) *"Goodbye Salome" - Salome, Little Harp, & Company *"Sleepy Man" - Rosamund & Men *"Where, Oh Where (Is My Baby Darlin'?)" - Jamie, Clemment, Rosamund, & Company *"Pass Her Along" - Girls & Highway Robbers (recitation) *"Finale" - Company Robber Bridegroom, The